Hidden Troubles

Chapter 31

"How dare you," Thor whispered, quietly, too quietly, Natasha thought- she could hear the rage shaking violently in his voice as much as it thrummed through her own veins. "How dare you, how dare your kind dishonour a prince of Asgard in such a way how dare you!"

"He called for you, golden prince. Ah, we have heard of your murderous deeds; even beyond the Void you are known. You still have the stench of Jotun bloodshed- why did you not kill the most pathetic of them all? The Frost Giant was a failure of a commander. It did not deserve the knowledge of the Tesseract nor the scepter in its hand, and especially not the breath in its lungs-"

"Have care of how you speak!" said Thor, a growl ripping his throat. "You dare let one slip against my brother go past your lips, you will sorely regret it."

"I think I enjoy blaspheming the trickster god too much to ever regret it," said Gath. "Though, is it truly blaspheming if it isn't even a god? Just a Jotun monster that ought to be slain. That is what you said yourself, isn't it?"

"You-"

"Right, you know what I think?" Tony started, cutting off Thor before he could get riled up enough to direct a thunder bolt to his building and blow it to bits. He'd already had one alien redecorate his tower in a destructive manner and he didn't need another. "I think you're a pretty little coward, running away hiding in a little village. What, are you scared? Are you scared of us, of some pesky little earthling mortals?"

"You think I fear you?" Emrath let out a wicked laugh. "You think I fear the weakest species in all the Nine and beyond? Did you not see what we did to that village? We slaughtered each and every one of them. We laughed as they cried and wept and begged for us to show mercy. But we serve the master Thanos and we showed none."

"So what's your play?" The creature looked at her curiously. "I mean yes you are sadistic enough to slaughter all those people just for fun but no, you wouldn't use so many resources to do so, especially when they're so scarce for you. And it's not like you're getting any more of them. So what's your play?"

"Ah, the little spider. Yes, your archer friend told us much about you," the creature leered. This time it was Clint who started forward sharply, rage trembling in clenched fists, and it was Natasha that had to hold him back. "He told us you were smart. Yet you show yourself to be foolish and naive. You really think a little information will Thanos? Your arrogance rivals that of the thunder god here."

"You should keep your flattery to yourself," said Tony. "And you shouldn't underestimate information."

"Ah, but nothing can help you now. Thanos will come for you, come for you all. And he will hunt the little runt and watch him squirm, he will break and break the vermin prince again and again and mayhaps this time, if our master is merciful, you may watch."

And suddenly there was a painful crack- Thor's fist had shot towards the creature with lightning speed to deliver a forceful blow to its face. Emrath laughed wheezily, horrifically dark blood pouring down from his face.

Natasha came forward as well, anger burning through her veins as though her sins had been pumped with oil and someone had set them alight. She was beyond rage and rationality and reasoning-

Somewhere in the tangle, Steve led a slightly green Bruce, a fuming Thor and an incandescent Natasha out of the suffocating room, into the open corridor with something more than grey, grey walls everywhere, surrounding them like a prison.

***

The bourbon burned Tony's tongue, nearly setting his mouth on fire. He grimaced and pushed the half-full cup away. He hated drinking when he was stressed—it reminded him of Howard. But if the world didn't want alcoholics, why did they make alcoholic feel so cleansing? As if the burning sensation would sear away all impurities inside. Sometimes it was a mystery why the world wasn't yet divided between the religious and the alcoholics.